


Time Won't Let Me Go

by drowsymuse, Rowanwood



Series: Marigold's Mayhem [1]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Father-Daughter Relationship, Female Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 11:00:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9178630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowsymuse/pseuds/drowsymuse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rowanwood/pseuds/Rowanwood
Summary: [Prologue to "Lone Star"]Running the remainder of the way Peggy opened the lid and was extremely shocked as to what was inside. With eyes so wide they looked dilated, she glanced back to Howard and said slowly,“Howard. This was not what was supposed to happen.”With a look of confusion on his face Howard came running over and looked down at what was inside the container.“Well shit, Peg. Looks like you're a mom!”Sitting inside the container with tired eyes was a baby girl. With bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Just like Steve.





	1. A Loss Too Great

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I'm writing another story known as "Lone Star" and I thought I'd upload this, "Time Won't Let Me Go", so everyone who ends up reading it will get to know how Marigold came into existence. Thanks, and enjoy!

Peggy was mad. Oh, that word couldn’t even explain the amount of fury that was exploding through her right now. Howard said that the “bomb” she had to retrieve was dangerous? That was nothing compared to how dangerous she could become. The last time she was this mad she shot a round of bullets at Steve Rogers. Well, she wasn’t trying to kill him. No, he had his shield. She had just found him kissing a secretary and after he had received his shield. So technically, she was helping him by testing out how well it could deflect bullets.   
Peggy couldn’t think of what to do. She couldn’t kill him. No, people would notice if the genius behind Stark Industries just disappeared. So she did the next best thing. She punched him. She rounded her arm back and swung it. Hard. Her eyes glaring at him the entire time and screamed, 

“You used me! You lied to me!”

Margaret “Peggy” Carter, one of the SSR’s top agents. But before that she had been an Agent in the U.S. army during World War II. There she had met Steve Rogers, a scrawny twenty-year old man from Brooklyn. Rogers was definitely not fit to be a soldier at the time, but he had heart. He was a fresh breath of air in a smokey room. That’s why she and Dr. Abraham Erskine had used him for Project Rebirth. A scientific trial to genetically modify men into the perfect soldier. And it had worked. It had changed Steve Rogers from the small man she befriended into a large man with an even bigger heart. Yet he still stayed the same; Patriotic, courageous, and kind-hearted.  
That’s why Peggy had fallen for him. And Steve for her. They were the perfect duo and would have continued to be if it weren’t for that goddamn selfless tendency Steve had. He had taken over a Nazi plane filled with bombs and crashed landed somewhere in the North Pole. Peggy and her friend Howard Stark has spent months looking for him, but never found any leads. Steve was gone.  
And he had missed their date. Saturday at The Stork Club, eight o'clock on the dot. Peggy had put on her best dress and waited for Steve. Even though she knew he would never make it.  
Years passed and people slowly began to forget about Steve Rogers, or Captain America as he was better known. He had become somewhat of a legend. Yes, the war had ended only four years ago, but that was enough time for people to move on and let go of The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan.  
Not Peggy. Peggy had always remembered. Not Captain America, but Steve Rogers. The little guy from Brooklyn, who was too dumb to not run away from a fight. That’s who Peggy had remembered, and would continue to, for the rest of her life.   
Now, it was the year 1946 in Brooklyn, New York. Peggy Carter works for the SSR, America’s premiere covert intelligence agency, but now that the war is over, her mission parameters are different. That all changed when an old friend of her’s asked her to become a double agent. Howard Stark. Yes, the “esteemed” creator of Stark Industries, and genius, had worked alongside Peggy during the war and been close friends with Steve Rogers. Some of his inventions had been going missing and he’d disappeared alongside his inventions when people suspected he was behind recent attacks. The most recent one being that a bomb containing enough power to wipe out the power in an entire city. Peggy managed to retrieve it from the criminals who had taken it. Yet the “bomb” turned to out to be something entire different; a vial of Steve Roger’s blood. The last thing left of him and Howard had the nerve to keep it from Peggy for four years. Four years without anything left of Steve and Howard had been keeping the one thing physically related to him.  
He had lied to her and kept it from her. After all the things that Peggy had done for him- lying to her boss, becoming a traitor to the U.S. government, going on missions to retrieve his stuff, and putting her life on the line. Yet he had the nerve to lie and keep things from her. 

Howard help a cloth full of ice to his face and yelled his reply, “You hit me!” 

“You don’t get to use my reaction to your lies - as the reason for your lies!”

“Y-yeah I do! I knew how much Steve meant to you because of how much he meant to me. I was protecting you,” Howard attempted to reason.

“Oh, don't pretend that this about me and my emotions! You were out to protect you!”

 

“Yeah, I didn’t want to see this turmoil that you’re in. Look at you.”

“I trusted you Howard,” Peggy yelled. Her face flushing from anger and her stance was rigid. 

“I know, and I was wrong. But you have to understand that a kid like me doesn’t get to where I’m at by doing-”

“-Wanted for treason?”

“I grew up on the lower East Side. My father sold fruit. My mother sewed shirtwaists for a factory. Let me tell you, you don’t get to climb the American ladder without picking up some bad habits on the way. There’s a ceiling for certain types of people based on how much money your parents have; social class, your religion, your sex. And the only way to break through that ceiling sometimes is to lie, so that’s my natural instinct- to lie. I shouldn’t have lied to you. For that, trust me, I am truly sorry,” Howard explained. Upon hearing this, Peggy deflated and chose to move on to another question. 

“Why did you have Steve’s blood in the first place?”

“I was one of the lead scientists on project Rebirth. Eleven vials went to the government. One went to me. Does the SSR know they have the vile?”

“Why shouldn’t they have it?”

“The government is almost through their supply. If they know they have mine, they will never give it back, even if you clear my name.”

“That still doesn’t mean you deserve to have Steve’s blood.” 

“You know, I believe that sample SR-53, that blood, Captain America’s blood, hold the key to vaccines, medications, possibly even a cure for the common cold. Steve Rogers may not still be with us, but he can still save millions of people.”

“And how many millions of dollars are you set to make?”

“What the hell do you think of me,” He asked exasperatedly. 

“I think you’re a man out for his own gain no matter who you’re charging. You are constantly finding holes to slither your way into, in hoping of finding loose change, only to cry when you’re bitten by another snake. You’re a man who says ‘I love you’ whilst looking over a woman’s shoulder into the mirror. Steve Rogers dedicated his mind, his body, his life to the SSR and to this country, not to your bank account. I made the same pledge, but I’m not as good as Steve was. I forgot my pledge running around for you like a corporate spy. So thank you, Howard, for reminding me who Steve was and who I aspire to be. For all I know, you did steal your inventions.”

“Peggy-” Howard started.

“I need some fresh air to get away from your stink. When I’m back you’ll be gone.”

“Where to? I’ll be caught.” 

“You’re the genius, you’ll figure it out,” Peggy said opening the door, sliding through, and was about to close it when Howard rushed forward and grabbed her wrist pulling her in.

“Peggy. Okay, I won’t keep Steve’s blood, but I won’t let the government have it either. How about we try something, uh, a-a series of tests. I want to try and figure out the formula in Steve’s blood. If we manage to crack the code we can continue Steve’s legacy. Help our country like Steve would have if he was still here. Please, Peggy. Help me with this.”

Peggy struggled in his grip, yanking her arm out of his hand, and glared at him. She stepped back closer to the door and said flatly,  
“You honestly can not believe that I trust you. Not after this.”

“Peg. This would be an entirely secret project. We wouldn’t go public. There is no money in this for me. I just want to help a friend, I want to try to make the serum. If it could help Steve then imagine how it could help all people who have disabilities.”

“Howard-”

“Just say yes.”

“What if the experiments fail? We lose the only thing we have left of Steve. I don’t want that to happen. I just got a piece of him back,” Peggy’s voice had cracked and she had finally started her grieving. She had always kept herself busy. She had compartmentalized her sadness and it had finally gotten to her, “Gone, he’s gone. We had a date and he left. I thought he was the one, I thought….I was wrong. So very wrong. How could I have ever thought that it would be so simple? That we both would have made it through and then he would be able to join me as an agent. We would have worked together and- and then at some point we could retire and live in an apartment somewhere in Brooklyn. Every Saturday we would go dancing. Then, one day we could have children. I never wanted kids before. With my job, kids weren’t in the picture. But then I met him and things were different. I wanted a life with him, Howard. I just wanted- that’s all I wanted.”   
Peggy had broken down crying, falling down to the ground against the door her head tilting upward. Tears pooled down her cheeks falling onto her neatly pressed outfit. Her body convulsed as she hiccuped and sniffled. Her painted lips trembling and quivering. All Howard could do was stare. One of the toughest women he has ever known finally broke. She had been cracked and glued back together, but pieces were still missing and the weight of what is inside has finally made her fall apart again. He finally was able to shuffle across the ground and crouch in front of Peggy. 

“Peg,” Howard started, taking a breath in, “Steve, Steve would have wanted to be with you too. If he could have he would be here, right now, and you wouldn’t be crying. We just…. all we can do is push forward and know Steve died for a greater cause. If these tests work, then we can be a part of that cause. We can work towards something Steve wanted when he was here. To finish what Erskine started. Steve would be so proud- he already is. He’s always seen you for how amazing you are. He’s seen you for you, not for how you look. He was one of a kind. I would give anything for him to be here with us now, but we’ve tried to find him. We’ve tried for so long. He’s gone Peg. Gone for good.”

“H-Howard,” Peggy croaked, “Why do I feel so-so broken. So alone. I was fine before, but now…”

“I wish I knew Peg. I’m a man of science, I believe there’s always a rational explanation for everything. But emotions, you can’t explain them all. All you can do is feel them.”

“Oh Howard,” Peggy attempted to laugh and wiping away her tears she said, “I never knew you to be such a sap!”

“Yeah, well don’t go around telling people okay. It will ruin my groove with the ladies and probably get me killed. You know, since I am still wanted by the government.”


	2. Just A White Lie

“Howard? Do you really think this could work,” Peggy asked, shifting in her stance. The duo had been working nonstop for the past week or two. Peggy had her job back at the SSR, but the only thing she ever had to do as a “mission” now was to take the lunch order. Yes, that infuriated Peggy, but working with Howard to crack the code to the Super Soldier Serum helped her to realize that being seen as an unequal really proved how idiotic men could be. She was working with a national enemy now. Well, supposedly. Howard Stark wasn’t actually performing treason. 

Currently, the two were back at Howard’s laboratory in one of his many mansions in New York. It would have been better if the two could have left New York, but Peggy needed to be near if anything important happened. Like if Jack Thompson needed someone to do some filing. Howard and Peggy had spent hours analyzing a sample of Steve’s blood to look at the structure of some DNA. Howard said some stuff about how the structure of the blood had changed drastically after Steve had been infused with the serum. It had basically mutated. If other people could use the Super Soldier Serum they could form a legion of them. Like defenders or “avengers” as Howard insisted on calling them. He liked the idea of having a group of people avenge the ideas of freedom and liberty. 

Anyways, Howard and Peggy had finally thought they had figured out a way to crack the formula in the blood. Howard had a device, which was highly similar to the simulator used to inject Steve with the serum. It was supposed to be a machine that could form something similar to artificial skin and cells. He had said that to crack the serum they needed to get some blood cells at it’s prime state, within a body. So, what they would do is try and make piece of an artificial body. Something like a patch of skin and nerves. Disgusting yes, but highly useful. Howard had been able to test run the machine before, but with minor deficiencies. 

“OK. Once the process is complete we will need to act quickly. If we manage to create some nerves that means veins and blood vessels. Those will start to leak and spill. We need to try and collect as much as possible so we can deconstruct the blood cells and crack the formula.”

Howard was very nervous and you could tell. There were wrinkles in his forehead and his eyebrows were scrunched. Beads of sweat had begun to form along his hairline and there were bags beneath his eyes. Working for days constantly had done this to him. Cups of coffee and alcohol scattered on some tables and placed on top machines. There were wet patches on blueprints from the beverages being accidentally placed on them in a surge of hope that they had found a lead. Howard’s hair was a mess and his lab coat was crooked. His outfit consisted of dress shoes, black slacks, and blue button down. The clothing was wrinkled from being worn for so long, but Howard still managed to hold that sense of fashionability. 

“Well, I guess that means we should begin,” Peggy said. 

A look of nervousness was plain on her face and in her eyes. If this worked then she could help thousands of people. Something she was sure would make Steve proud. She hoped that it could bring her closer to him somehow. Give her a sense of closure, show that Steve had indeed died for a greater cause. Well, I guess this was the only way to figure it out.

“Wait Peg. There’s one thing I need us to do before we start the process. While you were gone one day at the SSR, I found something out. We can’t just put in the vial of Steve’s blood by itself. We need a sample that has been unchanged by the serum. Someone’s blood that hasn’t undergone transmutation from it. Peggy, I want you to be the one who’s blood is used to mix with his.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before? I, uh, we- This is vital information that I should have heard about before, Howard,” Peggy argued through the shock of this new knowledge.

She had no idea how to react. He needed her blood to perform this experiment? To be put together with his. Was Howard asking her because he felt some sort of responsibility to get her as close to him as possible? Was this some sort of weird way for her to feel as if no matter what they would always be together? 

“Peggy. Please, it should only be you.”

“Well, I guess that I am the only one who could do it anyways. Knowing you, you probably faint at the first sight of your own blood,” she replied saying these things as an excuse for her to be able to do this.

She walked over to a stool and rolled up her sleeve. Howard cracked a small smile and ran his fingers through his hair. He walked over to a tube and got the equipment needed to take Peggy’s blood. He knew Peggy would give in. Steve had been her only weakness. Howard brought the equipment over to the table in front of Peggy and wiped down her arm. He grabbed an elastic band and wrapped it around her upper arm, He picked up the needle attached to a tube and put the end of the tube inside of the vile. He carefully inserted the needle into the fold of Peggy’s arm and turned his head as the red fluid began to pour into the glass tube. He took in a breath and rubbed his head. He then looked over at Peggy’s arm and carefully slid the needle back out and capped the vial. He walked over to another table that held the vial of Steve’s blood and picked that up too. He glanced over his shoulder to Peggy and as she stood up he said,

“We should start the process now.”

Peggy got up and grabbed a cotton swab to wipe down her arm and walked to Howard. The two of them headed to a far corner of the laboratory where a machine that looked almost like a metal coffin was placed. Howard opened the lid and inserted the two vials into slots along the inside of the machine. Along the rim of the coffin-like machine were a series of holes that were all the same size. A perfect fit for the vials Howard had inserted. 

Howard shut the lid and walked over to the head of the machine where a panel with buttons lied. He quickly clicked a series of buttons and a loud whirring sound began. He looked up from the buttons to Peggy and told her,

“Okay. The process should probably take about an hour. I know that it’s only a small patch of skin we’re making, but it takes a while and we can’t risk any deficiencies. It’s too risky. So, this will probably be enough time for you to go back to the SSR so people won’t get suspicious.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I bet Thompson is wondering where his sandwich is.” Peggy stated with a roll of her eyes. She walked back over to the same table where Howard had taken her blood and put down the cotton ball. She then continued over to the exit and glanced back at Howard with a smile. She then nodded and opened the door, closing it behind her.

Peggy walked up a set of wooden steps that lay outside the door which led to another door. She opened it and stepped through which led to a hallway on the first level of the mansion. Closing the door behind her she headed down the hallway into a large living room filled with fancy wooden tables, fur couches, shag carpets, and huge glass windows. Peggy, not taking a single look at the plush room, continued through into the entrance room that held the wooden double doors that lead to the outside. 

“Mister Jarvis,” Peggy called,”I am heading back to work, I’ll be back within the hour.”

Edwin Jarvis, Howard Stark’s butler, rushed into the main entrance, his long legs setting a pitter patter sound on the stone floor as he rushed to bid Miss Carter “goodbye”. Jarvis stood at a tall height and was clad in a white button down with a black blazer and matching black suit pants. His brown hair was swept to the side and trimmed short, as always. The British man gazed down at the woman with a polite smile and replied, 

“We shall be eagerly awaiting your return, Miss Carter. It is always a pleasure to have you in our company.”

“Why thank you Mister Jarvis. Tell the missus that I say ‘hello’.”

Peggy turned away from Jarvis’s gaze and turned the copper knob of the door and pulled it open. She then walked through, gave a closed lip smile to Jarvis, and shut it with a small click. Peggy walked down the path leading to metal gate. There was a screen base with intricate metal engravings in it. Obviously Howard would go full out on even the smallest of things. It was in his nature as a billionaire. If he had the money, why shouldn’t he get the best. Rolling her eyes again, Peggy pulled it open and left the premises of the Stark estate. 

Peggy walked along the bustling street of Brooklyn heading back towards the phone company that was used as a cover for the SSR. So, when asked about her job Peggy would tell them that she worked as an operator at a local phone company. No one would ask questions due to the lack of interest in that field.

Pushing her way past people Peggy finally arrived at her workplace. Entering the building she said “hello” to Rose, a large woman who would press a button and open the entrance to the SSR headquarters. As the entrance opened, Peggy walked within nodding to fellow agents. She headed over to the area where the agents desks were positioned and sat at her station. She would only spend a half hour here before she would get to leave. It was close to the ending of her shift and no one had asked where she had been. That was good. She didn’t need anyone sniffing in her business, that would only cause problems for her and the person asking. She didn’t need for there to be another name added to the missing person’s list.

Peggy opened one of the many folders on her desk and began to organize papers and files. That’s how most of her days ran at the SSR much to her disappointment. She could do so much more if people would quit being so sexist and biased. Men could be so stuck up and conceited when it came to work. They always had to be the ones in charge and the ones to make the money. Women could only be used for cooking, cleaning, and their own personal use. It was absolutely repulsive. She glared at the papers in thought and didn’t notice Daniel Sousa, one of the only kind men in the whole agency, walk up to her desk. 

“Hey, Peg,” Daniel started as he stood in front of her desk, leaning against his white crutch, “I haven’t seen you for a while. Where’ve you been.” 

Peggy quickly glanced up to meet the gaze of Daniel. He had a kind smile and his brown eyes were crinkled in the corner as he did this action. Daniel Sousa was about her age, if not a few years older, and had lost his leg in the war. He was normally stuck in the office due to his prosthetic leg. Many of the other agents looked down on him for his disability and would make jokes about him behind his back, but he was a very kind man and would always help Peggy if she needed it. 

“Oh, Daniel! I’m sorry I didn’t see you there. I’ve been around asking for lunch orders per Thompson’s request.” Peggy replied putting on a tight lipped smile. Her red lipstick flawless. 

“I’m surprised you actually got lunch for the boys and did what Jack told you to do. Are you alright?” Daniel jokingly asked leaning more onto his crutch. He let out a little chuckle and smiled larger at Peggy. She gave a laugh of her own and shook her head slightly. Her curls bounced and rested again as she gave snarky reply,

“Oh, I took their order. That doesn’t mean I went out and got the food for them Daniel.”

“Oh I see, well played Peggy, but where were you really? For the past couple of weeks I barely see you around and then you pop up out of nowhere saying that you were just ‘filing folders’ or ‘taking orders’. You and I know that you would never do that. What’s really going on Peg,” Daniel inquired, a look of what seemed to be worry was plastered on his face. 

“Daniel really, it’s nothing,” Peggy started she drew back her lips and shook her head slightly before continuing exasperatedly,”I’ve just decided if that if I’m ever going to be able to go on any real missions, then I’m going to have to play by the rules. So far, nothing else has been working.”

Daniel looked defeated and somewhat betrayed. He knew that Peggy was up to something and was disappointed that she felt she couldn’t trust him. He had always been there for her and tried to help her in anyway he could. He understood what it felt like to not be treated fairly and equally. Now she was blocking him out and keeping things from him. Why. Daniel just looked away from her and shook his head before turning around and walking away. His crutch still making that same tapping noise as he limped around people and out the room. 

Now, Peggy wasn’t sure how to react. She did feel guilty for lying to Daniel, but right now there was something more important to protect. Steve’s blood and the research they were doing on it. Once everything was cleared up and Howard wasn’t wanted by the government for treason then she would tell Daniel and hopefully he would understand. She needs this and so does the world. If she had to sacrifice one person to save millions then that was worth the risk. But that didn’t stop it from stinging when he walked away from her. She bit her lip and went back to filing.


	3. One Failure Doesn't Spell Disaster

Peggy’s shift ended only a couple minutes after and she had already left the SSR. She tried to return to Stark manor as quickly as she could without looking suspicious. She couldn’t risk having anyone else become wary of her and start paying anymore attention to her than needed. People knew about her close relationship with Howard Stark so they had already been keeping an eye on her just in case. This was definitely not a case she would want to get in between. 

Eventually she was back at the gate to the mansion and she buzzed in on the intercom outside. Jarvis, who was most likely the one to have heard the noise, unlocked the gate for her and greeted her again,

“Ms. Carter, I had suspected your arrival to have been around this time. Do come inside.”

The duo walked back up the brick pathway to the front door and Jarvis, as the gentleman he is, opened the door for her and let her walk inside first. Jarvis shut the door behind them and already heading back to the kitchen called,

“He is still in the laboratory. I do suggest you head in there. He has not left the room since your departure earlier. Whatever your experiment is - it must be most important. Please do not keep him waiting any longer.”

Peggy nodded to herself and began to walk down the same hallway as she did earlier that day. Opening the door to the stairs she walked down them her heels making a small clack with each step. She finally reached the door to the laboratory and opened it noiselessly and stepped inside. 

Howard was eagerly awaiting in front of the machine on the other side of the room. Peggy swiftly made her way over there. Howard too busy waiting for the process to be over to notice her arrival. Peggy came to a stop right behind him and looked down at a timer that was placed on the top of the machine. There was exactly a minute. The two of them waited in complete silence as the timer counted down the remaining time. 

5

4

3

2

1

There was a loud beeping noise as the timer hit zero and Howard quickly knocked the timer to the ground and yanked open the top. Peggy leaned over his shoulder to look at what was inside with eager eyes. Inside there was a medium sized patch of what looked like skin. Peggy quickly shoved aside Howard with a bump of her hip and grabbed the piece of skin. Blood slowly started to seep through her fingers and she turned around to Howard and yelled at him with anxiousness, 

“What do I do with it!”

Howard coming out of what seems to be a trance looked up from the skin to her eyes. His own eyes widened and his mouth hung open and he suddenly came too and instructed her,

“Quick get over to the metal bowl over there. We need to try and contain as much blood as possible. I’m going to go grab a glass container. We need to preserve the skin. Go, now!”

Peggy did as Howard said and ran over to a table and held the flesh over the bowl as some of the blood began to drip inside. Peggy was breathing heavily as it continued to drip and her hands were shaking ever so slightly. This needed to work. They couldn’t lose it. She stared at the blood on the flesh as it trembled in her grasp. 

Howard quickly rushed over and took the skin and set it within a glass container. He then grabbed the lid to the container and set it on. He pressed a button that was on top of the lid and a whirring noise sounded. The oxygen that was inside the container was being sucked out to be able to preserve the skin. 

“We did it Peg,” Howard said with a large smile, “We were able to create artificial skin and create more of Captain America’s blood. Well, I knew I could. I am the Howard Stark, but-”

Peggy was still staring at the blood on her hands and in the bowl. Something wasn't right. Howard’s smile quickly turned into a frown as he asked what was wrong.

“Howard,” Peggy called uncertainly, “Don’t you think there should have been more blood.”

Peggy quickly glanced over at the glass container that held the skin. There was barely a pooling of blood within the container. There should have been more. Howard’s eyes opened extremely wide and he let out a series of curse words before running over to the machine and looking in. His hand grasped the outside of the chamber and his other formed a fist and slammed against the rim.

Peggy ran over to Howard and looked down into the chamber where the skin had formed. There was a fairly large pooling of blood beginning to stain the inside. They had failed.

“Howard we need to try and save as much blood as possible. Don’t just stand there and stare, do something!”

“There’s nothing we can do. This blood here is lost, it’s been contaminated. Since the blood touched the metal itself, it’s now been mixed with all the other residue of my trails. It’s gone.”

Peggy didn’t know what to do. They barely had as much blood as they did to start. The blood in the bowl barely had filled to one fourth and there was practically nothing in the container. And the blood on her hands was probably starting to dry and had been dripping everywhere. 

“We need to try again. We probably have enough to try one last time. We’ll just add in the skin we got from this trial. We-we still have some blood. We still need to add in some of mine. We can do it. All we need to do is try.” 

Now she looked over at Howard with a look of determination. She knew what to do now, she was going to make this work. This was just one mistake. They still had one more try left. And she wasn’t about to let it go to waste. 

“Peg. Honestly, is this what you want to do? Use the last bit of Steve for this when it might not even work,” Howard glanced at her with a look of uncertainty. 

Peggy took in a breath and let it out before meeting his eyes,

“Yes. I do believe that this is something that is worth the risk. If it works, then we can revolutionize the world and the medical field,” she looked down at her blood stained hands and clenched them in a fist, “We need to do this.”

“OK, if it’s the thing that will get me off the FBI’s most wanted list.” 

“Howard!”

“I was kidding! Sort of….”

The two of them got to work. They took another vial of Peggy’s blood and collected all of the remaining blood from the bowl and the bit from the container. Howard combined the two into vials. It managed to fill up an entire vial with the red fluid and about half of another. Not a lot, but with Peggy’s blood it may just be what they need. The two of them now stood in front of the machine and set in the vials and the skin. Peggy closed the lid shut and Howard set up the panel for the second trial. 

“We’re going to need to set up the machine for about an hour and a half due to the extra blood and to make sure we don’t have anymore, ahem, malfunctions.”

Howard set the timer that he had picked off the floor and set it for the stated time and let his finger hover over the “begin” button on the panel. He released his breath and pressed it. He then turned to Peggy and spoke,

“Well, this has been quite a long day so I think we both could use a cat nap. Don’t you agree?”

“This is one thing we can agree on,” stated Peggy and she and Howard both left the room, but not before grabbing the timer so they would know when to return to the lab.

 

***

The noise of a timer sounding awoke both Howard and Peggy from their places on two separate couches in the vast living room. They had both trudged in here earlier and collapsed onto the sofas, not even saying a word to each other or Jarvis. 

With a groan, Howard got up from the couch and mumbled something incoherent underneath his breath. Peggy too, rose from the furniture and walked out the of the room. She ran a hand through her curls and she trudged through the hallway towards the same door as always. Going inside the room and down the stairs with a grumble, Peggy took off her heels and threw them over the side of the railing. Her feet were sore and she was tired. Heels would just cause even more irritation. 

Howard descended the stairs behind her and the two, almost silently, except for the sound of their feet, made their way past the tables that were filled with some of Howard’s other experiments and machines. Moving toward the machine, which was in the same corner as always. Peggy was anxious and her breath came in sporadically, Had the process gone correctly this time? 

Running the remainder of the way Peggy opened the lid and was extremely shocked as to what was inside. With eyes so wide they looked dilated, she glanced back to Howard and said slowly,

“Howard. This was not what was supposed to happen.”

With a look of confusion on his face Howard came running over and looked down at what was inside the container.

“Well shit, Peg. Looks like you're a mom!”

Sitting inside the container with tired eyes was a baby girl. With bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Just like Steve. 

***

Peggy was carrying a now sleeping baby in her arms. Carefully bouncing her to provide comfort, Peggy made her way through the dining room into the back yard. Stopping on the patio Peggy gazed around and paused as she watched as Jarvis planted some flowers into a flower bed. She watched as he put in every individual flower and made sure each had enough soil to stand straight on it’s own. It reminded Peggy of parenting. You nourish your child and make sure they have what they need to grow and develop on their own. 

Marigolds.

That’s what Jarvis was planting. 

Peggy broke her gaze from Jarvis to look down at the baby, her child. The baby had woken up and was quietly gazing at the blue sky. Peggy smiled down at her. She had been hoping that being able to figure out the Super Soldier serum would help her to get over Steve, but she realized that she shouldn’t try to force herself to move on. She should have been embracing Steve and what he did. This child would help her too. Steve’s and her child. 

Peggy cuddled the child closer and gently whispered to the baby, 

“Welcome to the world, Marigold Carter-Rogers.”


End file.
